Overcome

"Jesus Christ is the light of the world, the light no darkness can overcome.  

Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening, and the day is almost over.

Let your light scatter the darkness and illumine your church." (Opening, Vespers)

Evening Prayer. It's one of my favorite opportunities to worship. A service of Evening Prayer was offered at my church and I felt pulled to attend. 

"...Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ, may your Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path..."   (Thanksgiving for Light)

Flickering candlelight danced on my eyelids. The words, the precious words spoke to my spirit, deluged my soul. Precious long moments of silence washed over me. In stillness, my heart called out to God, pouring out my worry, my fear, my sin, my sorrow, my gratitude, my joy. Tears streaming down my face, a cloak of comfort and forgiveness enveloped me. God was in that stillness, that silence, reaching out to me, comforting me, snuffing out the darkness with His light. 

"O, Lord, I call to you, come to me quickly; hear my voice when I cry to you. Let my prayer rise before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as my evening sacrifice." (Psalmody, Psalm 141)

I walked out of worship that night, wrapped in God's peace; emptied of all that keeps me separated from life, from God; and overcome with gratitude for God's abundant grace.